Method and apparatus for doffing spinning frames and the like



Sept. 21, 1948.

7 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR DOFFING srxmmre FRAMES AND THE LIKE G. R. FOSTER ET AL- 2,449,742

13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1945 G. R. FOSTER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING Sept. 21, 1948. 2,449,742

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Filed Ndv. 27, 1945 G. A. R. FOSTER ETAL I msmon AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING l3 Sheets-Sheet 5 SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE Sept. 21, 1948.

Filed Nov. 27, 1945 G. A. R. FOSTER ETAL 2,449,742 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DQFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE a 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 n-rroamrsy.

Sept. 21, 1948. G. A. R. FOSTER EI'AL 2,449,742 f I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE 13 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed NOV. 27, 1945 Se i- 21, 1948- G. A. R. FOSTER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE 13 Sheets-sheaf 8 {Filed No'v. 1945 SeptfZl, 1948.

Filed Now r. 27, 1945 -G. A. R. FOSTER ETAL 2,449,742 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE l5 Sheets-Sheet 9' Sept. 21, 1948. s A. R. FOSTER ETAL 2,449,742

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Nov.- 27; 1945 G. A. R. FOSTER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE Sept. '21, 1948.

13 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Nov 27, 1945 Se t. 21, 1948. e. A. R. FOSTER ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING v SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 27, M1945 15 Sheets-Sheet 1.2

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Filed Nov, 27, 1945 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING SBINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 FIG. 24A

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HT To/Fmsy Patented Sept. 21, 1948 METHOD AND APPARATUS roa DOFFING SPINNING FRAMES AND THE LIKE George Alfred Rea Foste Didsbury, Manchester,

The British Cotton Ind r and James Gregory. 1

England, asslgnors to ustry Research Association, Didsbury, Manchester, England, a British,

association Application November- 27, 1945, Serial No. 631,114 I I In Great Britain November 30, 1944 Our invention relates ring spinning, doubling and twisting frames, and embraces the complete method for replacing full bobbins or tubes (hereinafter referred to as bobbins) on the frame spindles by empty bobbins,

meanwhile controlling and securing the threads so as to avoid the rupture of the threads between the spindles and the rollers and in some cases to avoid the accumulation of waste yarn on the spindles; and in addition supplying empty bobbins from a container and removing full bobbins to another container. The term *doffing is used herein in its accepted sense "to include removal of the full bobbin and fitting of an empty one.

The invention comprises the method of doifing for ring spinning, doubling and twisting frames wherein the bobbin is raised on the spindle so as to cause thread to wind off the bobbin onto the spindle and including the step wherein such winding is controlled and such portion of the thread mechanically manipulated during removal of the full bobbin and fitting of. an empty one.

The method aforesaid may include the several steps of (a) lifting the bobbin so as to cause the yarn thereon to unwind over the lower end of the bobbin on to the spindle (b) catching or picking up the yarn below the bobbin as it so unwinds (c) gripping and severing the yarn below the bobbin so as to hold theend leading to the spindle and thence to the traveller and release the end 4 leading to the bobbin, ((1) removing the full bobbin and' (e) fitting an empty bobbin on to the spindle so as to trap the yarn wound thereon, whilst releasing the held end, the yarn being then intact so that spinning or doubling can be resumed. M

The method'aforesaid may also include the further step (1) of immobilising the yarnleading to the traveller from the source of supply preceding the initial step (a) of lifting the bobbin and so as to preclude movement within a certain arc of the ring, and may be characterised in that the step of lifting the bobbins includes high initial mechanicalv advantage for loosening the bobbin on the spindle. I

According'to the invention dofiing apparatus for ring spinning, doubling and twisting frames comprises means for preventing the traveller from passing in front of the spindle during dofling, means for gripping, loosening and raising the full bobbin on its spindle so as to cause a short length of the yarn to wind around the bare spindle, means for catching the yarn as it so winds oil the base of each bobbin and after it has so wound on its spindle, means for severing the 15 Claims. (01. 57-53) to doffing apparatus for ing the ring rail and spinning a few turns, or so yarn between the base of the bobbin and its spindle so as to hold the end leading to the spindle for trapping by a new bobbin and sorts to release the end leading to the bobbin.

The improved apparatus also preferably embodies means for disposing of full bobbins into a container and means for supplying empty bobbins from a container and placing them on the spindles.

It must be understood that before commencing to doff we follow the usual practice of lowercalled dofllng coils," on the bottom of the bobbin. Alternatively, the doillng coils could be wound on to the bare spindle below the bobbin, but in this case the dofllng coils would accumulate as waste on the spindles.

As regards the actual removal of the full bobbins from their spindles, one difflculty has been the relatively large force required to loosen a.

bobbin on the spindle, the consequence of which is that a relatively large external force is required to loosen the bobbins, and this necessitates an inconveniently robust form of mechanism. In some known methods this difllculty is surmounted by dofling small groups of bobbins or even single bobbins at one operation, by a mechanism which traverses-the frame from one end to the other. According to one feature of this invention, however, it is possible to doif simultaneously any desired number of bobbins on the frame by performing the loosening operation by means of a* mechanism which acts at such a mechanical advantage that a relatively small total external force is required, after which the raising of the loosened bobbins is an easy matter.

In carrying out our method we prefer to arrange so that the same external means which produce the loosening of the bobbin subsequently act so as to raise the bobbin.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one example of the invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a single spindle with the bobbin in an initial raised position during an early stage of the doifing operation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan showing the means for picking up the thread.

, Figs. 3 and 4 are elevation and plan corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively and illustrating a later stage after picking up the thread.

Figs. 5A and 5B are elevation and plan of the means for severing and holding one end of the severed yarn.

Figs. 6A, 6B and 6C are front elevation, side view and sectional plan on line -4: of Fig. 6A respectively of the pivoted cutter blade. J

Fig. 7 is adetail plan of means for immobilising the thread during the pick up.

Fig. 8 is a general arrangement in of the carriage doiier.

Fig. 9 is a sectional and elevation of the carriage dollar with part of the frame removed.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the camshaft.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism for the thread hooks.

Fig. 12 is an end view of the operating mechaperspective nism for the bobbin lifters.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the mechanism for releasing and collectingthe full bobbins from the lifters.

Figs. 14 and 15 are end and perspective views of the bobbin lifters.

Figs. 16A, 16B and 160 are respectively front elevation on line AA of Fig. 163, plan and end elevation of the operatin mechanism for the cutter shown in Figs. A and 58.

Fig. 17 is a detail View of the mechanism for operating the thread immobiliser.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the mechanism for projecting empty bobbins on to the spindles.

Fig. 19 is a sectional elevation from the opposite direction of some of the parts shown in Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary" view of the empty bobbin magazine and th mechanism for filling the empty bobbin projector. I

Fig. 21 isa sectional plan showing the principle of the feeding of the bobbins to the empty bobbin projector from the magazine.

Fig. 22 is a'sectional plan illustrating the bobbin motion during the return movement of the magazine after filling the empty bobbin projector.

Fig. 23 is a detail plan of the lower shutter, which retains the empty bobbins in the magazine.

Fig. 24 is a view of the latching system and the single revolution mechanism on the cam shaft.

Fig. 24A is a sectional elevation on line AA Fig. 24.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the thread tensioning device.

In Figs. 1 to 6C are illustrated the processes comprised in the invention, deferring, however, a consideration of the means to be adopted for producing the motions of the various members concerned. Fig. 1 shows in and elevation a single spindle on a ring frame, after the bobbin has been loosened on the spindle and raised so that a short length of yarn is dragged from the base of the bobbin on to the bare spindle. 'Fig. 2 shows in plan the disposition of the end of the'hook relative tothe spindle and base of the bobbin. Figs. 3 and 4 correspond to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, and illustrate a later stage in the process of thread control. Fig. 5A shows in front elevation the thread-cutting means at the stage of the process'indicated in Fig. 4; and Fig. 5B is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 5A.

After the bobbins I have been filled with yarn la and a few turns 2 wound on the bottom of the bobbin and after the usual thread guides 811 have been lifted by hand so as to clear the doiling mechanism, each bobbin and its thread are operated on in the following manner. The bobbin is gripped, loosened on its spindle 4 and raised a short distance so that a length 3 of yarn is pulled oil? it and wound round the bar spindle 4. Immediately preceding such raising of the bobbin,

. a traveller drag 8b described later in detail, is

brought into position to prevent the travellers from passing in front of the spindles during dofllng. A book Ii is then brought into position so that its end 5a lies just Winder the bobbin and close to the spindle. The bobbin and hook are then raised together, more yarn being thus unwound from the bobbin to engage the hook after which the'yarn unwinds by causing the bobbin to rotate. The distance raised is adjusted in amount so as to ensure that each thread uncoils from its bobbin enough to be caught by the hook-end. (The direction of the bend forming the hook-end must, of course, be adapted to the direction of the twist. The direction shown in the figures is for the so-called Z twist). The bobbin and hook are then lowered, the hook bein manipulated so that the hook-end swings away from the spindle (see Fig. 3) so as to maintain the yarn in a state of tension, taking up the slack which would otherwise be produced by the lowering of the bobbin.

This motion of the hook-end disposes the yarn which lies between the bobbin and the bare spindle in two portions; a portion to passing from the bobbin to the hook-end and a portion 3b passing from the hook-end to the bare spindle. The motions of the bobbin and the hook are such as to place those portions in appropriate positions for the action of the cutter 1. This cutter consists of a metal plate Ia with equipment for severing and holding each thread. This equipment comprises slots 1b and lo, the motion of the hook being such as to place the portion 3a of the thread in the slot lb and the portion 3b in the slot 1c. The slot id is for use with the other hand of twist. The curvature of the hookend shown in Figs. 2 'and 4 helps in the precise location of the portions of thread relative to the cutters; For the other hand of twist a, slight lateral displacementv of the cutters is required.

The means for cutting the thread are such as to releasethe portion of thread passing tothe ing end which may be trapped by the new'dofiing coils as they unwind onto the splndlewith the lifting of the bobbin but if kept short this portion will generally lift clear with the bobbin and avoid accumulation of waste thread on the spindle. The means for cutting the thread are attached to the plate '!a and for each spindle comprise a fixed thin spring plate 1a with edge If, and a rotatable rigid blade 19 pivoted at In and shaped in cross section so as to provide a blunt edge 'la' engaging the edge of one side of the indentation 1c and a sharp edge 1k engaging the edge 1). When the blade 19 is rotated through a small angle (clockwise in Fig. 5A) the blunt edge 17' (Fig. 6C) traps and holds the thread 3b against the plate 1a and after this the sharp edge "0 severs the thread against the complementary sharp edge ii. In this way the length of yarn 3b between the. hook 5a and the bare spindle is se'vered, the portion of the yarn trailing'from the bobbin being released, while the portion passing to the bare spindle and thence to the traveller 8 and through the lappet or thread guide 8a to the front rollers of the frame (not shown) is temporarily held.

The bobbins are then raised sufliciently far above the spindles to allow empty bobbins to cutting be brought into position over the spindles, and

these are then projected onto the spindles, the

thread passing round the bare spindle being thus trapped between the base of the spindle and the surface of the internal bore of the bobbin. The full bobbins are released and projectedinto a container, and the process is then complete for the spindles operated upon. The bobbins shown are of special shape having flanged bases lb to ensure that the threadunwinds from the base of the bobbin instead of slipping off during the process of thread control after the hook-end a has engaged the thread, and having a neck lc at the upper-end, providing a shoulder for 6 B for the raising and lowering of the lifter unit 0 for rocking the cutters D for rocking the lifter unit E for opening and closing the cutters F for tripping the traveller drags G for rocking the empty bobbin projectors of the feed unit.

H for tripping the sector catch to project the empty bobbins J for controlling the position of the sector K for tripping catches which retain the empty bobbin projectors 1N for tripping the latch which locate the carr age. 1

The lifter unit has end plates Ill (see Fig. 9)

s lldable on guide rods H which can be rocked as hereinafter described. The unit is lifted by crank arms i2 linked to the end plates Ill by connecting rods i8 -and attached to a shaft ll mounted on bearings Ha (Fig. 8) in the carriage framework and carrying a pinion l5 driven by a sector i6 operated by the cam B. In the bottom position of the lifter unit, where the bobbins are loosened on the spindles, the crank arms I 2 operate near their dead centre position thus working at a large mechanical advantage. They One method of carrying out the invention is to operate on all the spindles on one's'ide of the spinning frame simultaneously as described later.

but another method is to operate upon such spindles in sets. According to such latter'method, and .as shown in Figs. '8 to 25, one means of carrying out the invention comprises a carriage, traversed along. the frame on rails and halted before successive setsof spindles, carrying the various operative members required for carrying out the cycle of operations involved in the process described above. A pair of such carriages right and left hand may be provided each adapted to serve one side of each of a group of frames and operating from the same end with advantages such as reducing the mechanism required. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the carriage is adapted to be sup ported by wheels 9 running on a lower rail !a supported by brackets 9b from the spindle rail' 90 of the spinning frame, and is located in a vertical position by lower guide rollers 8d bearing on the front face of the rail 9a and by upper guide rollers 9e bearing against the rearface of an upper rail 8! supported by brackets So also from the spindle rail 90 of the spinning frame. In addition, ground wheels in. and 97' are provided for transport of the carriage from one frame side to another. Such ground wheels 9h are carried by bell-cranked arms 9k loaded by springs 9m so as to support part of the weightof the carriage when the latter is mounted on the rails of the 'spinning frame.

The aforesaid operative members may conveniently be regarded as forming three units; (1) a combined lifter and disposal unit concerned with the loosening, raising and disposal of the full bobbins from the spindle and the control of the thread; (2) a combined cutter and traveller drag unit; and (3) an empty-bobbin feed unit. Most of the motions required are produced at the appropriate time by means of cams or fingers mounted on the cam-shaft X which makes one rotation during the cycle of operations. These cams are shown in their relative positions on the shaft X in Fig. 10. It is convenient to specify these cams and fingers here, though they relate to mechanisms not yet fully described.

They are:

A for the operation of the hook guide produce approximate simple harmonic motion on which the cam B superposes modifications required for the cycle 'ofioperations. The hooks 5 (Fig.'11) on the shaftiib are operated by the arm l8 engaging the guide i9 which rocks on the shaft Ho. The books are retained by a spring 20 in an outward position from the carriage (i. e. towards the spinning frame) against the guide is, and

- when such motion is required are pressed inward .hy the movement of the guide -l9 through the action of a lever |9b connected to the guide l9 and having a roller i9c'engaging the cam A. This cam is undercut at A so that when such roller iflc enters the undercut, the guide is is moved by a spring. lSd away from the roller lBd allowing the spring 20 to bring the 'hook ends 511 into position below the bobbins. as shown in Fig. 1, so

that they'press against the bare spindles 4, and

are thus located with an accuracy difiicult to at tain by positive movement by the cam. The portion 22 of the cam A, which allows this outward motion of the hooks 5, is adjustable as rega'rds' timing. The cam A also contains a portion 23 which is for the purpose, previously referred to, of maintaining the yarn in a state of tension when the bobbins are lowered after having been raised for ensuring the engagement of all the threads by the hooks. This portion 23 is adiustable as regards the amount of motion produced.

At the beginning of the cycle of operations, the lifter unit is in itsnh'ighest position: and ,on its downward journey the lifters 24, which are of forked shape (see also Figs. 14 and 15), on the shaft 24a are first rocked outward to avoid the tops of the bobbins, and then after further lowering. are rocked inward so as to engage the shoulders 25 near the tops of the bobbins. These motions are produced by means of a fixed guide 28 (Fig. 12) whose face 26a engages, through a roller 2|, a member 28 carried on the lifter unit by means of links 29. This member 28 has sprung to it, by the spring 30, an arm 3! attached to the shaft a which carries the lifters 24.- A further spring 31a is provided, pulling the arm 3i towards a stop 33 to locate the lifters in their operative position. When the lifter unit reaches its lowest position the roller 21 springs inwards under the end of the guide 26, and the lifters 24 spring under the shoulders 25 of the bobbins.

When the lifters are subsequently raised, the

spring 30 so that when the lifter unit descends agaimsuch roller engages the face 26a.

The guides ll (Figs. 8 and 9) are joined at the I top by a cross bar 52 and are attached rigidly to the brackets 530 which are fixed to the shaft 53, this shaft being carried on bearings 53a. The cross bar 52, the guides II, the brackets 53c and the shaft 53 thus form a rigid structure and this structure is normally pulled by a spring 5322 against stops (not shown) "to keep the guides H in the vertical operative position as shown in Figure 9. The structure is, when necessary, rocked about the axis of the shaft 58 by means or the cam D operating against the arm "fixed to the shaft 53.

,This rocking is timed to occur after the lifter unit has been returned to its highest position, and it initiates the operation of the full-bobbin disposal unit. During the previous upward motion of the lifter unit the bobbins are retained in the jaws of the lifters 24 (see Figs. 13 and 14) by the rod 50 which is pivoted on the shaft 240. by means of arms 58, and is held in its operative position (i. e. closing the jaws of the lifters 24) by the spring 58b. ,One of the arms 68 hasan upward extension 58a which, when the guides II are rocked, engages a stop 580 so that the rod 50 is moved away from its operative position. A tray 5| is pivoted to the'cross bar 52 at la and Bib (Fig. 8), and carries an arm 56 which, when the guides H are rocked, meets an adjustable rod 51 attached to the carriage. The tray 5| is thus tilted and the bobbins are pushed out of the jaws of the lifters, the tray assuming a position such that the bobbins slide down it and fall into a box v 59. Previous to this it is necessary, however, that the hooks 5 should be out of the way of the falling bobbins. To effect this the arm l8 (Fig. 11) has an open slot Illa which engages a stud lab on the arm 18c fixed to the cross bar 52, this en'- gagement occurring a little before the lifter unit reaches its highest position.

.The cutter platela (Figs. 16A, 16B, 16C, and 17) is mounted on brackets 17 and Hal attached to a tube 1m mounted on a shaft In which in turn is mounted in bearings 1p fixed to the carriage (see Fig. 8). The cutter plate la with its brackets 17' and II: and the tube 1m form a rigid structure rockable about the shaft in by a bowl 'Iq attached to the bracket 19" and engaging the edge of a cam C, whose function is to rock the cutter mechanism into and out of its operative position at the appropriate times. The cutter blades ,Ig are slotted at their lower ends and are each engaged by a pin Ir carried by a bar Is. The bar Is is connected to the plate in by links It and is adapted to be rocked endways by an arm 'lu pivotcd at (v to the bracket I70 and engaging at one end a face-cam E having an adjustable campiece E and at the other end engaging blocks 'lw carried by the bar is. A return spring la: is provided for the bar is to maintain the cutters in the open position as shown in Fig. 5A.

arranged as to provide a progressively moving point contact with substantially uniform contact pressure. This effect is obtained by forming-the fixed spring blade with a notch Ie to divide the blade into the upper or cutting portion 1e with its cutting edge If and a lower portion le which acts as a retainingmember for the pivoted cutter blade 1 as described later. Both portions le and le are inclined as shown in Fig. 5B and sprung towards the pivoted cutter lg to provide pressure holding the pivoted cutter resiliently against the metal plate la thus providing pressure to grip the end 31) of the thread after cutting. The cutting edge 'llc of the pivoted cutter. 1g is inclined as shown in Fig. 6B thickening towards the tip so that a substantially uniform pressure is obtained in spite of the greater flexi- .bility of the spring blade le towards such tip.

As shown also in Fig. 6C the pivoted cutter blade is backed off away from the cutting edge 1k to v clear the inclined blade 1e in all positions of the pivoted cutter 19. The back face of the pivoted cutter lg is plane and the blunt edge 11 is square to provide a cleaning action against the plate id to avoid any possible accumulation of loose fibre or dirt which might hold the pivoted blade away from the plate la and prevent holding of the end 3b of the thread. The pivot 1h is fixed rigidly in the plate 1a and the pivoted cutter blade is merely held thereon by the portion is of the spring blade 1e which latter has a locating hole le fitting over such pivot and is adapted to be secured b a single screw le to the plate la. Thus by removing the single screw le both the spring blade 1e and the pivoted cutter blade lg can be removed.

In order to immobilise the thread passing from the traveller 8 to the thread guide or lappet 8a (see Figs. 3 and 7) use is made of a thread immobiliser or traveller drag" consisting of a plate 8b with arcuate serrated edge 80 one for each spindle; such plates being fixed to a bar 8d (Fig. 17) carried on brackets 8e and BI mounted on the shaft in previously referred to. The operative position of the traveller drags is when the arcuate serrated edges are in the'track of the thread and at a level slightly above that of the ring travellers (see Fig. 3) and they are maintained in this position by an arm 8g held against a stop 8h by a spring 870, both stop and spring being fixed to the carriage. Thebar M is withdrawn to its inoperative position by a catch 81 carried by the bracket "0 The bowl M on the cutter bracket 17' is held in contact with the cam C by a spring 11/ strong enough to overcome the spring 8k. The catch 81 is adapted to be tripped by the finger F on the cam shaft X.

To feed the empty bobbins on to the spindles use is'made of a bobbin-projector in conjunction with a magazine feed system (Figs. 18, 19, and 20). The bobbin projector comprises a double set of V-shaped receivers Glu and Gib fixed to bars 6 lo and 6 Id respectively holding respectively the upper and lower ends of the bobbins,the

As shown in detail in Figs. 5A, 53, 6A, 6B and.

latter being fed from a magazine 60, whose construction and mode of action are hereinafter described. The bar tile is slidable on two rods 62. being raised when the bobbins are fed into "the receivers, and then lowered so that pegs 83 enter the top part of the bore of the bobbins. The base of the bar Girl is perforated with circular holes 64 larger in diameter than the base of the bobbins, and rubber tabs 65 project into these holes in order to prevent the bobbins from fall.- ing through the holes. Pieces of metal 66 which serve to retain these tabs are of sufficient thickness to prevent the bobbins from moving horizontally out of the receivers. The complete system consisting of the bars Sic, 8ld, the receivers la and Bib and the rods 82 is pivoted by means of arms 61a and 61b, attached to a tube 88 on the shaft It. This system is rocked by means of a cam G operating on a roller 610 on one of the arms 61b from aposition where it rests against the front of each compartment. When the magazine is placed in position on the carriage this rod is'removed and the bobbins are then retained by means of lower and upper shutters Ma and Nb fixed'to the framework of the carriage. The method of feeding the bobbins is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. -21 which represents a sectional plan taken at thelevel of either the upper or lower receivers. The

' .the magazine 60 toaposition vertically above the 10 shutters have openings sic spaced one spindle spindles. A toothed sector '69 rotatable" on thei gauge apart and situated opposite the receivers shaft It is held by a spring ill with its stop Haengaging the end of a catch H pivoted on the arm 61b. After the bobbin-projector moves into the position .over the spindles the finger H attached to thecam shaft X trips the catch H thus causing, through the train of gears 73, the toothed-wheel M to act on the teeth of a rack 62a cut in the rod 62, and thus move the bar tic downward so that it forces the bobbins downwards overcoming the slight resistance of the Mia and bib, these openings being sufiiciently wide to allow the bobbins to pass into the retongues 55 whereby the bobbins are projected on to the spindles. The lowering of the upper set of receivers by the spring 10, previously loaded by the outward motion of the projector unit, is

checked by a stop T5 preferably made of rubber.

The top bar 6 i c is re-set by restoring the projector unit as awhole to its initial position against themagazine at by the action of the springs bid under the control of the camG. During the backward motion of the arm 51b, an adjustable cam-bowl it on the sector $9 meets the cam J 'so that relative motion between the arm bib and sector 69 causes, rotation of the train of gears it and the gear wheel it, so as to raise the rod t2 and reset the catch i ll.

The bobbins are supplied to the carriage inthat is to say the number of these compartments will be equal to twice the" number of spindles which can be operated upon in a single cycle of operations. The division into compartments is effected by partitions 80a which are riveted to the top, bottom-and back of the magazine 6|]. The partitions are provided with guides 89b which adapt the amount of lateral free space to the taper of the bobbins. Supplementary guides 800 are provided to control accurately the tip of each bobbin as it emerges from its compartment. The bobbins are fed from the magazine by ,W-shaped springs 80d held against the back of the magazine and constrained between the guides 80b and a set of lower curved guides Me. The springs act on the bobbins through bobbin-followers 80! which are attached to the front ends of the springs. These bobbin-fol lowers extend the full width of their respec- .tive compartments and retain their springs when the compartments are empty by engagement .Withbeaded edges 80g of the partitions 80a, the springs being then under an initial loading. The bobbin-followers 80f are shaped to protrude slightly beyond the front edges of the partitions, so as to ensure the ejection of the last bobbin. The bobbins which have been placed in themagazine through the front apertures of the compartments 80 in echelon formation to ensure regular packing and avoid endways jamming against the top and bottom of the magazine are retained temporarily by means of a rod running through holes 80h near ceivers. The magazine is normally disposed. as shown in Fig. 21, so that the bobbins are retained by the shutters. The bobbins are fed by moving the magazine endways, ,to the right in one cycle and to the left in the next, and so on, thus bringing in successive cycles alternate compartments opposite the openings of the shutters.

Each column of bobbins is pushed forward by its spring std as the front bobbin is delivered to the receiver and the shutter is so placed that, as the magazine is moved endways into its normal position, the succeeding bobbin rolls on to the shutter as shown in Fig. 22. i

As previously mentioned the bar tic is normally disposed so that the pegs t3! clear the heads of the bobbins as they are fed into the receivers; and soon after this they are lowered so that the pegs enter the upper part of the bore of the bobbins. During this process there is a, tendency for the bobbins to be pushed through the holes St in spite of the action of the tongues 55. This is prevented by extension pieces ilid of the bottom of the shutters projecting below the bobbins as shown in Fig. 23. When the projection unit moves as previously described to its position over the spindles the bobbins are retained merely by the tongues 65. When the bobbins are projected on to the spindles, they are pushed past the tongues 65 which do not make contact with the narrower parts of the bobbins, which carrier.

thus fall unobstructed on to the spindles.

The magazine to is placed on a carrier 82 slidable along the carriage on ball-slides 82a and 82b. Endways motion of the magazine relative to the carrier 82 is prevented by lugs 82c attached to the carrier 82. Tilting of the magazine from the tray under the reaction from the magazine springswhen feeding is taking place. is prevented by means of lugs 82d in the mesazine gripping underneath the front edge of the The necessary endways motion of the magazine for feeding is produced by means of the double action face cam M which is mounted on the supplementary shaft Y geared to the cam shaft X so as to rotate at half its speed, movement being transmitted through a rod 82c shown in Fig. 20.

As shown in Fig. a0, a rod eff is fixed to the tray 82 and has a fixed central boss 82g on each side of which is a spring loaded plunger 82h with hat ended heads 82h which form resilient sides for engagement by the upper end of the rod Me. The rod 82c, the" loading springs for the plungers being enclosed within the tubular bodies of said plungers, is slidably carried by a block 821' and carries a roller follower 82k engaging the groove of the cam M. In the event of the tray being jammed during the bobbin feed, the spring loaded plungers will yield and prevent damage to the mechanism whilst at the same time providing positive movement of the tray against normal resistance.

During the feeding of the bobbins the pro-- jector is tetained against the reaction of the magazine springs by means of catches 83 engaging studs 83d. These are released when the projector unit is moved into position over the spindles. The catch 83 is mounted on a shaft "a which carries an arm 63b retained in the normal position by a spring 830, and is tripped by a cam K on the cam shaft X. When the pro- Jector is returned from its position over .the spindles the stud 83d slides up the inclined face of the catch and is caught in the slot 83s of the catch 83.

Having described the nature of the mechanism required for producing the various motions, it becomes necessary to specify more precisely the timing of these. The lifter unit starts from its highest position and descends to its lowest position where the lifters 24 engage the bobbins. The hookswhich have been moved out of the way of the falling fulll bobbins at the end of the previous cycle are returned, during the early part of the descent of the lifter unit,

to their normal resting position with the bowl i8d, on the arm iii, in such a position that it will meet the upper portion of the slide l9 as the lifter unit descends. The first action of the slide i8 is to move the hooks 5 clear of the bobbins and it subs quently produces the motion of the hooks 5 reviously described, for the purpose of the thread control. During the early part of the descent of the lifter unit the traveller drags 8b move into their operative position and so irmmobilise those threads'which happen to have come to rest with the traveller in the front 120 sector of the ring, so that the portion of thread passing from the traveller to the drafting rollers cannot be brought into a position where it might be trapped by the new bobbin as this is placed on the spindle. A further function of the traveller drag is to prevent the traveller from moving round the ring as the bobbin is raised during the process of thread control thus reducing the amount of coiling round the bare spindle, which would necessitate a greater lift.

Dining this raising of flifter unit, after which the minimum amount of thread is coiled on the bare spindle to ensure the trapping of the thread by the empty bobbin, the hook 5 is brought by the means previously described to the position shown in Fig. 1 where the hook and 5a rests under the bobbin against the spindle 4. This upward motion of the lifter unit-is continued until a further complete turn is unwound from the bobbin, thus ensuring that every thread is caught by its hook. During this raising of the lifter unit the cutters are rocked to their operative position in front of the spindles. The'lifter unit is then lowered to put the threads in the slots 1b and 1c of the cutters as previously described. The cutters are then closed, thus severing the thread and freeing the full bobbin. The lifter unit is then raised to its highest position to make room for the projector unit to be rocked into position over the spindles.

12 the spindles. The bobbins are then projected on to the spindles as previously described, by the descent of the bar Bio. The cutters are then opened releasing the end passing to the coils round the bare spindle, which are trapped against the shoulder of the spindle by the bobbin, thus completing the replacement of the full by the empty bobbins, keeping the thread in a state such that spinning can be resumed after the whole frame has been operated upon.

During the projection of the empty bobbins the lifter runit, loaded with full bobbins, is rocked towards the rear of the magazine; the tray 4! is brought into position, the retaining 'rod 80 being meanwhile withdrawn, the tray pushing the full bobbins oiit of the jaws of the lifters 24 and guiding them into the box 69.

It remains to restore the various members to their initial positions. All the necessary motions,

as previously described, occur under the action of springs and cams, except for the traveller drag which is picked up by the cutters by means of the catch 81.

The above description applies to the cycle of operations to be carried out while the carriage is stationary opposite a set of spindles which have to be dofied. To locate the carriage opposite the set of spindles, use is made of the latching system shown in Fig. 24. This consists of upper and lower elements. The upper element consists of a finger 90 pivoted at the end of the arm 900, which is itself attached rigidly to a shaft 90b carried in bearings not shown) on the carriage. The shaft 90!) carries, rigidly attached to it,- the forked arm 90d which is flexibly linked to the arm Old by the spring casing 90f, the spring 90g and central rod Mb. The lower element consists of a horizontal strip 9! with indentation Sia shaped to engage stops 92, spaced according to the number of spindles doifed during each' dofllng cycle, and carried .on the outer face of the upper rail 9 The element BI is rigidly attached to a shaft Sib in bearings (not shown) and carries the aforesaid arm lid.

As the carriage, moving in the direction indivcated by the arrow in Fig. 24, approaches one During the earily stages of the cycle, the magazine is moved endways as previously described to feed the receivers Sid and Bib of the projector from one set of ailternate compartments. The magazine is then returned to its neutral position where the remaining bobbins in the magazine are retained by the shutters Bid and Olb.

During this return the pegs 63 are lowered to engage the upper part of the bore of the bobbins, after which the projector unit is rocked. ove

of the stops 92 the latch member engages it and attempts to lift the member 8| upwards against the stop 92 so that the portion 9le of the upper edge of the member 9i makes contact with the stop 92. Further motion of the carriage loads the spring 90g which pulls the member 9| so that the indentation 9la engages the stop 92 and so accurately locates the carriage. The movement of the element 8i may be used to clutch in a motor to drive the cam shaft X as illustrated in Fig. 24. The arm Sid has an upward extension which engages through an adjustable set screw Oil the arm Ely, pivoted in bearings (not shown) operating the clutch 93a, which is normally held out of engagement with the driving sprocket 83 by the spring 9lh, one end of which is attached 'to the arm Sly and the other to the carriage v framework. The clutch arm Big has an extension 9 which carries a finger 9llc which at the beginning of the cycle rests in the hole 84a. in the rim of the gear wheel 84 fixed to the cam shaft X, the clutch being therefore disengaged. 'The drive is normally transmitted by means of the sprocket 93 through the clutch 93a to the gear wheel 94 through the pinion 95. When the mem-- ber 9| engages the stop 92 the resultant motion of the arm Bid engages the clutch through the arm 8 lg and at the same time removes the finger I Silt from the hole in the rim of the wheel 84 r 13 thus permitting the camshaft to rotate. 1 Once the cydlehas started the arm 9&7 is held by the rim of the gear wheel 94b so that the clutch is maintained in the engaged position. Near the end of the cycle after the empty bobbins have been projected on to the spindles and precise location of the carriage is no longer required, the latch member 90 israised by means of a rod 96 on an arm 91 pivoted to the carriage framework at 91a and tripped and subsequently released by the finger N fixedto the cam shaft X. This releases the energy stored in the spring 90g so that the latch members 90 and!!! are restored to their original positions. this restoration being assisted by the spring 91m attached at one end to the member Bid and at the other to the carria e framework.

At the end of the cycle of operations, when the cam shaft X has made one complete revolution, the ringer elk falls into the hole iita under the action of the spring 9th and so de-clutches the drive.

The driving of the sprocket 93 is by means of a motor Hi2 (see Fig. 8) carried on the carriage framework, the currentbeing supplied by a trailing cable wound on a drum m3: of known type; carried on the carriage framework.

The carriage may be traversed by hand from one position to the next, the latch being engaged and disengaged automatically by the mechanism described above. If it is desired. after a complete side of the ring frame has been doii'ed, to return the carriage backwards along its path, as would normally be thecase, this may be done since during such motion the stops 92 pass under the member 93 and raise it without disturbing the arm 90a.

We declare that what we claim is: l

s l. The methodof domng for ring spinning,

' doubling and twisting frames which consists in liftin the bobbin thereby to unwind some of the yarn thereon over the lower end of the bobbin on to the spindle. catching and picking up the yarn as it so unwinds and thereby limiting the amount of yarn which winds on to the spindle whereby saidyarn is readily pulled away with the full bobv bin at the succeeding dofiing, gripping and severing the picked upportion of the yarn in such a way as to hold the end leading to the spindle and thence to the traveller -and release the end leading to the bobbin.

2. The method of dofllng according to claim 1, includin the further steps of removing the full bobbin and fitting an empty bobbin on to the spindle so as to trap the yarn wound thereon, the yam between the spindle and the traveller being then intact so that spinning or doubling can be resumed.

3. The method according to claim '1 and including the further step of immobilising the yarn leading to the traveller from the source of supply' preceding the initial step of lifting the bobbin and so as to preclude movement within a certain arc of the ring.

4. The method of dofiing for ring spinning.

' doubling and twisting frames which consists in ously drawing such slack into a loop away from the spindle and presenting the loop for gripping and severingthe picked up portion of the yarn so as to hold the end leading to the spindle and thence to the traveller and release the end lead-.

catching or picking up the yarn below the bobbin as it so unwinds, and thereby limiting the amount of yarn which winds onto the spindle so that this yarn is readily pulled away with the full bobbin at the succeeding dofilng, means for gripping and severing picked up portion of the yarn in such a way as to hold the end leading to the spindle and thence to the traveller and release the end leading to the bobbin.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including means for removing the full bobbin and fitting an empty bobbin on to the spindle so as to trap the yarn wound thereon, the yarn between the spindle and the traveller being then intact so that spinning or doubling can be resumed.

. gage a shoulder at the upper end of the bobbin and means for retaining the bobbin in the forked member during the liftin operation while still permitting the bobbin to rotate.

9. In a dofiing apparatus as set forth in claim 5, the said bobbin raising means operating with high initial advantage and comprising a crank, a connecting rod and a cam for operating said crank, which latter is initially near dead center.

10. In a doffing apparatus as set forth in claim 5, raising mechanism for the bobbin comprisin a iii cam, shaped so as to introduce, following the initial raising of the bobbin, an intermediate stage the yarn comprises a hook and, means for moving the same into position beneath the bobbin so as to lie in the path of yarn winding off the bottom of the bobbin on to the spindle as the bobbin is raised.

12. In a dofling apparatus as set forth in claim 5, the means for catching the yarn comprising a hook and means for moving the same into position beneath the'bobbin so as to lie in the path of yarn winding ofi the bottom of the bobbin on to the spindle as the bobbin is raised, and further characterised by means for moving the hook downwards and away from the bobbin to form' an open loop .for further mechanical manipulation of the yarn.

13. In a dofling apparatus as set forth in claim I 5, raising mechanism for the bobbin comprising a cam, shaped sons to introduce, following the 

